Remote Direct Memory Access Authentication of a Device

ABSTRACT

An approach is provided in which a server receives a first request from a client over a command port connection. The server, in turn, sends a first phase authentication token to the client over the command port and receives a second request from the client over a management port connection. In response, the server sends a second phase authentication token to the client over the management port connection, which the server receives back from the client over the command port connection. In turn, the server authenticates the client to utilize the command port connection accordingly.

BACKGROUND

The present disclosure relates to authenticating a client applicationcommand port connection utilizing a dual-port, two-phase securityauthentication mechanism.

Distributed shared-disk database cluster technologies exist that allowmultiple servers to appear as a single database, which helps reducedeployment cost and complexity. These servers utilize different types ofconnections and corresponding ports to communicate with clients. Forexample, servers may include management ports to support a managementport connection and command ports to support a command port connection.The management port connection may be a socket based protocol and thecommand port connection may be an RDMA (remote direct memory access)connection utilizing a technology such as uDAPL (user Direct AccessProgramming Library). In one embodiment, the management ports andcommand ports accept command requests from an application executing on aclient. In this embodiment, the management ports may allow structureallocation and deletion and the command ports are utilized totransmit/receive data requests against the structure.

BRIEF SUMMARY

According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, an approach isprovided in which a server receives a first request from a client over acommand port connection. The server, in turn, sends a first phaseauthentication token to the client over the command port and receives asecond request from the client over a management port connection. Inresponse, the server sends a second phase authentication token to theclient over the management port connection, which the server receivesback from the client over the command port connection. In turn, theserver authenticates the client to utilize the command port connectionaccordingly.

The foregoing is a summary and thus contains, by necessity,simplifications, generalizations, and omissions of detail; consequently,those skilled in the art will appreciate that the summary isillustrative only and is not intended to be in any way limiting. Otheraspects, inventive features, and advantages of the present disclosure,as defined solely by the claims, will become apparent in thenon-limiting detailed description set forth below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

The present disclosure may be better understood, and its numerousobjects, features, and advantages made apparent to those skilled in theart by referencing the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a server authenticating a client applicationcommand port connection utilizing a dual-port, two-phase securityauthentication mechanism;

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a server utilizing one management port toestablish multiple command port connections with multiple clients;

FIG. 3A is a diagram showing fields included in a first phaseauthentication token;

FIG. 3B is a diagram showing fields included in a second phaseauthentication token;

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an authentication table utilized by a serverto track command port connection authentications;

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing steps taken in a server authenticating acommand port connection with a client;

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing steps taken in a server building a secondphase authentication token in response to receiving a second phaseauthentication request;

FIG. 7 is a block diagram of a data processing system in which themethods described herein can be implemented; and

FIG. 8 provides an extension of the information handling systemenvironment shown in FIG. 7 to illustrate that the methods describedherein can be performed on a wide variety of information handlingsystems which operate in a networked environment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particularembodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the disclosure.As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended toinclude the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicatesotherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises”and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify thepresence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements,and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of oneor more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements,components, and/or groups thereof.

The corresponding structures, materials, acts, and equivalents of allmeans or step plus function elements in the claims below are intended toinclude any structure, material, or act for performing the function incombination with other claimed elements as specifically claimed. Thedescription of the present disclosure has been presented for purposes ofillustration and description, but is not intended to be exhaustive orlimited to the disclosure in the form disclosed. Many modifications andvariations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the artwithout departing from the scope and spirit of the disclosure. Theembodiment was chosen and described in order to best explain theprinciples of the disclosure and the practical application, and toenable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand the disclosurefor various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to theparticular use contemplated.

As will be appreciated by one skilled in the art, aspects of the presentdisclosure may be embodied as a system, method or computer programproduct. Accordingly, aspects of the present disclosure may take theform of an entirely hardware embodiment, an entirely software embodiment(including firmware, resident software, micro-code, etc.) or anembodiment combining software and hardware aspects that may allgenerally be referred to herein as a “circuit,” “module” or “system.”Furthermore, aspects of the present disclosure may take the form of acomputer program product embodied in one or more computer readablemedium(s) having computer readable program code embodied thereon.

Any combination of one or more computer readable medium(s) may beutilized. The computer readable medium may be a computer readable signalmedium or a computer readable storage medium. A computer readablestorage medium may be, for example, but not limited to, an electronic,magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system,apparatus, or device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. Morespecific examples (a non-exhaustive list) of the computer readablestorage medium would include the following: an electrical connectionhaving one or more wires, a portable computer diskette, a hard disk, arandom access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasableprogrammable read-only memory (EPROM or Flash memory), an optical fiber,a portable compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), an optical storagedevice, a magnetic storage device, or any suitable combination of theforegoing. In the context of this document, a computer readable storagemedium may be any tangible medium that can contain, or store a programfor use by or in connection with an instruction execution system,apparatus, or device.

A computer readable signal medium may include a propagated data signalwith computer readable program code embodied therein, for example, inbaseband or as part of a carrier wave. Such a propagated signal may takeany of a variety of forms, including, but not limited to,electro-magnetic, optical, or any suitable combination thereof. Acomputer readable signal medium may be any computer readable medium thatis not a computer readable storage medium and that can communicate,propagate, or transport a program for use by or in connection with aninstruction execution system, apparatus, or device.

Program code embodied on a computer readable medium may be transmittedusing any appropriate medium, including but not limited to wireless,wireline, optical fiber cable, RF, etc., or any suitable combination ofthe foregoing.

Computer program code for carrying out operations for aspects of thepresent disclosure may be written in any combination of one or moreprogramming languages, including an object oriented programming languagesuch as Java, Smalltalk, C++ or the like and conventional proceduralprogramming languages, such as the “C” programming language or similarprogramming languages. The program code may execute entirely on theuser's computer, partly on the user's computer, as a stand-alonesoftware package, partly on the user's computer and partly on a remotecomputer or entirely on the remote computer or server. In the latterscenario, the remote computer may be connected to the user's computerthrough any type of network, including a local area network (LAN) or awide area network (WAN), or the connection may be made to an externalcomputer (for example, through the Internet using an Internet ServiceProvider).

Aspects of the present disclosure are described below with reference toflowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams of methods, apparatus(systems) and computer program products according to embodiments of thedisclosure. It will be understood that each block of the flowchartillustrations and/or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in theflowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, can be implemented bycomputer program instructions. These computer program instructions maybe provided to a processor of a general purpose computer, specialpurpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus toproduce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via theprocessor of the computer or other programmable data processingapparatus, create means for implementing the functions/acts specified inthe flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks.

These computer program instructions may also be stored in a computerreadable medium that can direct a computer, other programmable dataprocessing apparatus, or other devices to function in a particularmanner, such that the instructions stored in the computer readablemedium produce an article of manufacture including instructions whichimplement the function/act specified in the flowchart and/or blockdiagram block or blocks.

The computer program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer,other programmable data processing apparatus, or other devices to causea series of operational steps to be performed on the computer, otherprogrammable apparatus or other devices to produce a computerimplemented process such that the instructions which execute on thecomputer or other programmable apparatus provide processes forimplementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or blockdiagram block or blocks.

The following detailed description will generally follow the summary ofthe disclosure, as set forth above, further explaining and expanding thedefinitions of the various aspects and embodiments of the disclosure asnecessary.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a server authenticating a client applicationcommand port connection utilizing a dual-port, two-phase securityauthentication mechanism. The dual-port two-phase authenticationmechanism authenticates a client's command port connection, utilizing amanagement port connection, prior to allowing the client totransmit/receive data to a server over the command port connection. Asthose skilled in the art can appreciate, a command port connection maybe an RDMA connection or other type of one-to-one connection between theclient and the server. As those skilled the art can also appreciate, amanagement port may be a TCP/IP connection or other type of one-to-manyconnection between the client and the server.

Client 100 includes management port 110 and command port 120. Likewise,server 130 includes management port 140 and command port 150. Managementports 110 and 140 establish a socket-based management port connectionbetween client 100 and server 130, and command ports 120 and 150establish a command port connection between client 100 and server 130.

Client 100 and server 130 proceed through an initial socket-basedauthentication process (authentication 160) to authenticate client 100(e.g., an application executing on client 100) utilizing managementports 110 and 140. Next, client 100 and server 130 open an RDMAconnection over command ports 120 and 150, respectively, and client 100sends first phase authentication request 165 to server 130. In turn,server 130 generates a security token and sends first phaseauthentication token 170 to client via command port 150. In oneembodiment, client 100 individually requests an opaque authenticationtoken for each RDMA connection over each command port connection (seeFIG. 2 and corresponding text for further details).

Client 100, in one embodiment, includes first phase authentication token170 in a second phase authentication request and sends second phaseauthentication request 170 to server over the management port connectionvia ports 110 and 140. At this point, server 130 extracts the firstphase authentication token from second phase authentication request andadds a table entry to authentication store 145 that indicates client 100has completed a first phase of the authentication process (see FIG. 4and corresponding text for further details).

In turn, server 130 generates and sends a second phase authenticationtoken (second phase authentication token 180) over the management portconnection, which includes unique data that identifies the RDMAconnection and the current connection state. In one embodiment, secondphase authentication token 180 includes first phase authentication token170 in order for server 130 to match the second phase authentication tothe first phase authentication (see FIGS. 5, 6, and corresponding textfor further details).

Client 100 receives second phase authentication token 180 from server130 over the management port connection and re-sends second phaseauthentication token 180 to server 130 over the command port connectionvia command ports 120 and 150. When server 130 receives second phaseauthentication token 180, server 130 accesses authentication store 140and determines that client 100 previously completed the first phaseauthentication by locating the recent table entry discussed above. Assuch, server 130 authenticates client 100's command port connection overcommand ports 120 and 150. In turn, client 100 is authorized totransmit/receive data to/from server 130 over the authenticated commandport connection.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a server utilizing one management port toestablish multiple command port connections with multiple clients. Inone embodiment, server 200 may include a small number of managementports (management port 210) and a large number of command ports (ports220, 225, and 230). In this embodiment, server 200 utilizes managementport 210 as discussed herein to establish management port connectionswith clients 240 and 260 via corresponding management ports 245 and 265.

FIG. 2 shows that client 240 has two command port connectionsestablished (or is in process of establishing) with server 200 viacommand ports 250 and 255 connected to server 200's command ports 220and 225, respectively. In one embodiment, client 240 utilizes onemanagement port connection to individually authenticate the twodifferent command port connections. In this embodiment, client 240 maybe executing two different applications and each application requires aseparate RDMA connection. In another embodiment, client 240 may beexecuting a single application that requires multiple RDMA connections.

Server 200 also supports client 260 utilizing management port 210. Asdiscussed earlier, a server may have a small number of management portsand a large number of command ports and, therefore, a server may use asingle management port to support multiple command ports. Client 260uses management port 265 and command port 270 to authenticate a commandport connection with server 200 over command port 270 and 230.

FIG. 3A is a diagram showing fields included in a first phaseauthentication token. A server generates first phase authenticationtoken 300 in response to receiving a client request over a command portconnection (e.g., RDMA connection). First phase authentication token300, in one embodiment, includes RDMA connection ID 310, port identifier320, thread identifier 330, and first phase authentication ID 340.

RDMA connection ID 310 includes an internal value associated with theRDMA connection in order to track RDMA connections between differentclient applications and the server. Port identifier 320 identifies theport or file number on the server associated with the RDMA connection.Thread identifier 330 identifies a thread that processes the RDMAconnection (if applicable). First phase authentication ID 340 includes avalue associated with authenticating the client's RDMA connection.

In one embodiment, first phase authentication token 300 is opaqueoutside the server. In this embodiment, the authentication tokens may beencrypted with a random salt and phase phrase that the server manages inorder for the authentication tokens to be unreadable external to theserver.

FIG. 3B is a diagram showing fields included in a second phaseauthentication token. The server provides second phase authenticationtoken 350 to a client when the client provides the first phaseauthentication token back to the server.

Second phase authentication token 350, in one embodiment, includessecond phase authentication ID 360 and first phase token 300. As such, aserver is able to match a client's first phase authentication token andsecond phase authentication token in order to determine when theclient's command port connection is fully authenticated.

In one embodiment, second phase authentication token 350 is opaqueoutside the server, similar to that of first phase authentication token300 discussed above. In this embodiment, second phase authenticationtoken 350 may be encrypted with a random salt and phase phrase that theserver manages in order for the authentication tokens to be unreadableoutside the server.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an authentication table utilized by a serverto track command port connection authentications. In one embodiment, theserver adds/removes authentication table entries to authentication table400 to manage the two phase authentication process described herein. Theexample shown in FIG. 4 shows authentication table entries 450, 455,460, 465, and 470, each corresponding to different command portconnection authentications between the server and clients.

Table 400, in one embodiment, includes columns 410, 420, 425, 430, and440. Column 410 includes information that identifies the server'smanagement port that passes authentication information between theclient. The example shown in FIG. 4 shows that the server currently usesmanagement port “A” for each authentication table entry but, as thoseskilled in the art can appreciate, the server may also utilize multiplemanagement ports to establish connections if they are available.

Column 420 includes information that identifies the server's commandport for each corresponding authentication table entry, and column 425includes information that identifies a thread executing on the serverthat processes the corresponding client authentication. In oneembodiment, the server utilizes the command port ID and the thread ID tomatch the received second phase authentication token to one of theauthentication table entries to determine whether the client is in thefirst phase or the second phase of authentication.

Column 430, in one embodiment, includes identifiers that identify theclient or client application that corresponds to the command portauthentications. Column 440 includes phase indicators that indicate thephase of each authentication. Authentication table entry 455 includes afirst phase indicator, which indicates that such authentication haspassed the first phase authentication and is in process of the secondphase of authentication. Authentication table entry 450 includes asecond phase indicator, which indicates that such authentication isfully authenticated and the client may send data to/from the server overthe authentication command port connection. Authentication table entry460 does not include a phase indicator, suggesting that suchauthentication is in the first phase of authentication.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing steps taken in a server authenticating acommand port connection with a client. Client processing commences at500, whereupon the client opens a management port connection with theserver and sends client authentication information to the server overthe management port at step 505. Server processing commences at 550,whereupon the server receives the client authentication information atstep 555 and authenticates the client (e.g., application) over themanagement port connection.

At steps 510 and 560, the client and server (respectively) open up acommand port, such as for and RDMA connection. In one embodiment, thecommand port at this point provides limited connectivity and may processauthentication commands. Next, at step 515, the client requests a firstphase authentication token from the server through the command port. Atstep 565, the server receives the client's requests and builds a firstphase authentication token (see FIG. 3A and corresponding text forfurther details). The server, at step 570, sends the first phaseauthentication token to the client over the command port. In addition,the server adds an authentication table entry to an authentication tablestored in authentication store 145, thus identifying the correspondingauthentication process commencing with the client.

The client receives the first phase authentication token at 520. Theclient, in one embodiment, includes the first phase authentication tokenin a command request and sends the command request (second phaseauthentication request) to the server over the management port at step525. The server analyzes the first phase authentication token includedin the second phase authentication request and builds a second phaseauthentication token that, in one embodiment, includes the first phaseauthentication token (pre-defined process block 575, see FIG. 6 andcorresponding text for further details). In addition, the server updatesthe authentication table entry in authentication store 145 thatindicates the corresponding authentication process has completed thefirst phase of authentication (see FIG. 4 and corresponding text forfurther details).

At step 580, the server sends the second phase authentication token tothe client over the management port, which the client receives at step530. In turn, the client sends the second phase authentication tokenback to the server over the command port connection at step 535. Theserver, at step 585, validates the second phase authentication token andidentifies the corresponding authentication table entry inauthentication store to determine the phase of the correspondingauthentication. In one embodiment, the server utilizes a command port IDand a thread ID included in the second phase authentication token toidentify the matching authentication table entry.

The server, at step 585, updates the authentication table entry(changing the first phase indicator to a second phase indicator) andsends an acknowledgement back to the client over the command port thatthe client is authenticated to send/receive data over the command portconnection, thus completing the two-phase authentication process.

The client receives the acknowledgement at step 540. In turn, the clientand server exchange data over the command port connection at steps 545and 595, and client/server processing ends at 548 and 598.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing steps taken in a server building a secondphase authentication token in response to receiving a second phaseauthentication request. Processing commences at 600, whereupon theserver extracts information from the second phase authentication requestthat allows the server to determine the phase of the correspondingauthentication process (step 610). In one embodiment, the serverextracts the first phase authentication token that the client includedin the request.

Next, the server identifies the authentication table entry stored inauthentication table store 145 utilizing, in one embodiment, a commandport identifier and a thread identifier included in the extractedinformation. At step 630, the server updates the authentication tableentry in authentication store 145, indicating that the client's firstphase authentication is complete.

Next, the server builds a second phase authentication token for theclient that, in one embodiment, includes the first phase authenticationtoken or some identifier that links the second phase authenticationtoken to the first phase authentication token (step 640). Serverprocessing returns at 660.

FIG. 7 illustrates information handling system 700, which is asimplified example of a computer system capable of performing thecomputing operations described herein. Information handling system 700includes one or more processors 710 coupled to processor interface bus712. Processor interface bus 712 connects processors 710 to Northbridge715, which is also known as the Memory Controller Hub (MCH). Northbridge715 connects to system memory 720 and provides a means for processor(s)710 to access the system memory. Graphics controller 725 also connectsto Northbridge 715. In one embodiment, PCI Express bus 718 connectsNorthbridge 715 to graphics controller 725. Graphics controller 725connects to display device 730, such as a computer monitor.

Northbridge 715 and Southbridge 735 connect to each other using bus 719.In one embodiment, the bus is a Direct Media Interface (DMI) bus thattransfers data at high speeds in each direction between Northbridge 715and Southbridge 735. In another embodiment, a Peripheral ComponentInterconnect (PCI) bus connects the Northbridge and the Southbridge.Southbridge 735, also known as the I/O Controller Hub (ICH) is a chipthat generally implements capabilities that operate at slower speedsthan the capabilities provided by the Northbridge. Southbridge 735typically provides various busses used to connect various components.These busses include, for example, PCI and PCI Express busses, an ISAbus, a System Management Bus (SMBus or SMB), and/or a Low Pin Count(LPC) bus. The LPC bus often connects low-bandwidth devices, such asboot ROM 796 and “legacy” I/O devices (using a “super I/O” chip). The“legacy” I/O devices (798) can include, for example, serial and parallelports, keyboard, mouse, and/or a floppy disk controller. The LPC busalso connects Southbridge 735 to Trusted Platform Module (TPM) 795.Other components often included in Southbridge 735 include a DirectMemory Access (DMA) controller, a Programmable Interrupt Controller(PIC), and a storage device controller, which connects Southbridge 735to nonvolatile storage device 785, such as a hard disk drive, using bus784.

ExpressCard 755 is a slot that connects hot-pluggable devices to theinformation handling system. ExpressCard 755 supports both PCI Expressand USB connectivity as it connects to Southbridge 735 using both theUniversal Serial Bus (USB) the PCI Express bus. Southbridge 735 includesUSB Controller 740 that provides USB connectivity to devices thatconnect to the USB. These devices include webcam (camera) 750, infrared(IR) receiver 748, keyboard and trackpad 744, and Bluetooth device 746,which provides for wireless personal area networks (PANs). USBController 740 also provides USB connectivity to other miscellaneous USBconnected devices 742, such as a mouse, removable nonvolatile storagedevice 745, modems, network cards, ISDN connectors, fax, printers, USBhubs, and many other types of USB connected devices. While removablenonvolatile storage device 745 is shown as a USB-connected device,removable nonvolatile storage device 745 could be connected using adifferent interface, such as a Firewire interface, etcetera.

Wireless Local Area Network (LAN) device 775 connects to Southbridge 735via the PCI or PCI Express bus 772. LAN device 775 typically implementsone of the IEEE 802.11 standards of over-the-air modulation techniquesthat all use the same protocol to wireless communicate betweeninformation handling system 700 and another computer system or device.Optical storage device 790 connects to Southbridge 735 using Serial ATA(SATA) bus 788. Serial ATA adapters and devices communicate over ahigh-speed serial link. The Serial ATA bus also connects Southbridge 735to other forms of storage devices, such as hard disk drives. Audiocircuitry 760, such as a sound card, connects to Southbridge 735 via bus758. Audio circuitry 760 also provides functionality such as audioline-in and optical digital audio in port 762, optical digital outputand headphone jack 764, internal speakers 766, and internal microphone768. Ethernet controller 770 connects to Southbridge 735 using a bus,such as the PCI or PCI Express bus. Ethernet controller 770 connectsinformation handling system 700 to a computer network, such as a LocalArea Network (LAN), the Internet, and other public and private computernetworks.

While FIG. 7 shows one information handling system, an informationhandling system may take many forms. For example, an informationhandling system may take the form of a desktop, server, portable,laptop, notebook, or other form factor computer or data processingsystem. In addition, an information handling system may take other formfactors such as a personal digital assistant (PDA), a gaming device, ATMmachine, a portable telephone device, a communication device or otherdevices that include a processor and memory.

The Trusted Platform Module (TPM 795) shown in FIG. 7 and describedherein to provide security functions is but one example of a hardwaresecurity module (HSM). Therefore, the TPM described and claimed hereinincludes any type of HSM including, but not limited to, hardwaresecurity devices that conform to the Trusted Computing Groups (TCG)standard, and entitled “Trusted Platform Module (TPM) SpecificationVersion 1.2.” The TPM is a hardware security subsystem that may beincorporated into any number of information handling systems, such asthose outlined in FIG. 8.

FIG. 8 provides an extension of the information handling systemenvironment shown in FIG. 7 to illustrate that the methods describedherein can be performed on a wide variety of information handlingsystems that operate in a networked environment. Types of informationhandling systems range from small handheld devices, such as handheldcomputer/mobile telephone 810 to large mainframe systems, such asmainframe computer 870. Examples of handheld computer 810 includepersonal digital assistants (PDAs), personal entertainment devices, suchas MP3 players, portable televisions, and compact disc players. Otherexamples of information handling systems include pen, or tablet,computer 820, laptop, or notebook, computer 830, workstation 840,personal computer system 850, and server 860. Other types of informationhandling systems that are not individually shown in FIG. 8 arerepresented by information handling system 880. As shown, the variousinformation handling systems can be networked together using computernetwork 800. Types of computer network that can be used to interconnectthe various information handling systems include Local Area Networks(LANs), Wireless Local Area Networks (WLANs), the Internet, the PublicSwitched Telephone Network (PSTN), other wireless networks, and anyother network topology that can be used to interconnect the informationhandling systems. Many of the information handling systems includenonvolatile data stores, such as hard drives and/or nonvolatile memory.Some of the information handling systems shown in FIG. 8 depictsseparate nonvolatile data stores (server 860 utilizes nonvolatile datastore 865, mainframe computer 870 utilizes nonvolatile data store 875,and information handling system 880 utilizes nonvolatile data store885). The nonvolatile data store can be a component that is external tothe various information handling systems or can be internal to one ofthe information handling systems. In addition, removable nonvolatilestorage device 745 can be shared among two or more information handlingsystems using various techniques, such as connecting the removablenonvolatile storage device 745 to a USB port or other connector of theinformation handling systems.

While particular embodiments of the present disclosure have been shownand described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that,based upon the teachings herein, that changes and modifications may bemade without departing from this disclosure and its broader aspects.Therefore, the appended claims are to encompass within their scope allsuch changes and modifications as are within the true spirit and scopeof this disclosure. Furthermore, it is to be understood that thedisclosure is solely defined by the appended claims. It will beunderstood by those with skill in the art that if a specific number ofan introduced claim element is intended, such intent will be explicitlyrecited in the claim, and in the absence of such recitation no suchlimitation is present. For non-limiting example, as an aid tounderstanding, the following appended claims contain usage of theintroductory phrases “at least one” and “one or more” to introduce claimelements. However, the use of such phrases should not be construed toimply that the introduction of a claim element by the indefinitearticles “a” or “an” limits any particular claim containing suchintroduced claim element to disclosures containing only one suchelement, even when the same claim includes the introductory phrases “oneor more” or “at least one” and indefinite articles such as “a” or “an”;the same holds true for the use in the claims of definite articles.

1. A method comprising: receiving, at a server, a first request from aclient over a command port connection; sending a first phaseauthentication token to the client over the command port connection inresponse to receiving the first request; receiving, at the server, asecond request over a management port connection from the client;sending a second phase authentication token to the client over themanagement port connection in response to receiving the second request;receiving, at the server, the second phase authentication token from theclient over the command port connection; and authenticating the clientto utilize the command port connection in response to receiving thesecond phase authentication token.
 2. The method of claim 1 wherein thesecond request includes the first phase authentication token, the methodfurther comprising: extracting the first phase authentication token fromthe second request; validating the extracted first phase authenticationtoken; and storing, in response to validating the extracted first phaseauthentication token, a first phase indicator in an authentication tableentry that indicates the client completing a first phase authenticationover the command port connection.
 3. The method of claim 1 wherein theauthenticating further comprises: matching the received second phaseauthentication token to the authentication table entry; and identifyingthat the authentication table entry includes the first phase indicator.4. The method of claim 1 further comprising: wherein the command portconnection is a Remote DMA (RDMA) connection; and wherein the managementport connection is a TCPIP (Transmission Control Protocol/InternetProtocol) connection.
 5. The method of claim 4 wherein the RDMAconnection utilizes a Direct Access Provider Library (DAPL).
 6. Themethod of claim 1 further comprising: receiving, at the server, adifferent first request from a different client over a different commandport connection; sending a different first phase authentication token tothe different client over the different command port in response toreceiving the first request; receiving, at the server, a differentsecond request over the management port connection from the differentclient; sending a different second phase authentication token to thedifferent client over the management port connection in response toreceiving the different second request; receiving, at the server, thedifferent second phase authentication token over the different commandport connection from the different client; and authenticating thedifferent client to utilize the different command port connection inresponse to receiving the different second phase authentication token.7. The method of claim 1 further comprising: receiving, at the server, adifferent first request from the client over a different command portconnection; sending a different first phase authentication token to theclient over the different command port in response to receiving thefirst request; receiving, at the server, a different second request overthe management port connection from the client; sending a differentsecond phase authentication token to the client over the management portconnection in response to receiving the different second request;receiving, at the server, the different second phase authenticationtoken over the different command port connection from the client; andauthenticating the client to utilize the different command portconnection in response to receiving the different second phaseauthentication token.
 8. The method of claim 7 wherein the clientexecutes a first application and a second application, the firstapplication utilizing the command port connection to send data to theserver and the second application utilizing the different command portto send different data to the server.
 9. A method comprising: receiving,at a server, a first request from a client over a command portconnection; sending a first phase authentication token to the clientover the command port connection in response to receiving the firstrequest; receiving, at the server, a second request over a managementport connection from the client, wherein the second request includes thefirst phase authentication token; extracting the first phaseauthentication token from the second request; validating the extractedfirst phase authentication token; storing, in response to validating theextracted first phase authentication token, a first phase indicator inan authentication table entry that indicates the client completing afirst phase authentication over the command port connection; sending asecond phase authentication token to the client over the management portconnection in response to receiving the second request; receiving, atthe server, the second phase authentication token from the client overthe command port connection; matching the received second phaseauthentication token to the authentication table entry; identifying thatthe authentication table entry includes the first phase indicator; andauthenticating the client to utilize the command port connection inresponse to identifying that the authentication table entry includes thefirst phase indicator.